A new conversation is bubbling up at Kelowna wineries91Ƶhow do they handle the influx of bachelorette parties celebrating pending nuptials by touring tasting rooms?
A few bad brides have threatened to spoil the bunch and wineries are now tightening up the rules for those about to tie the knot.
More wineries are requesting that the parties remove any bridal paraphernalia before they enter. These include veils, phallic objects and costumes.
91ƵIt is something that wineries have to deal with properly. There are so many different wineries with different spaces, some are small and can91Ƶt handle the larger groups, and some can,91Ƶ Andy Gebert, owner of St. Hubertus and Oak Bay Estate Winery said.
91ƵThis is where we live and work, I like sitting in the vineyard and having peace and quiet, we have 80 acres and I am living in paradise, inviting people to enjoy it.91Ƶ
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St. Hubertus and Oak Bay Estate Winery still accommodate bachelorette parties if the group is fewer than eight people, as their space cannot handle a large group of people. Gebert is in the wine business because he loves it, not to turn his piece of paradise into a big business.
Smaller wineries have found that hosting large groups and bachelorette parties takes over their tasting rooms and impedes other guests experience at the winery.
91ƵBachelorettes are always a bit of a challenge,91Ƶ Tina Slama, wine shop manager of Little Straw Winery said. 91ƵWe have very strict rules about behaviour and over-serving. We have to abide by our Serving It Right. It91Ƶs hard to tell the difference between groups being silly and loud or being drunk. If guests act that way we take it as them being over-served and refuse to pour wine for them.91Ƶ
Wineries are relying on tour companies to relay their rules to groups as they enter the winery. Wineries send their rules and expectations each year to the tour companies and their guides to ensure a smooth season ahead.
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91ƵWe work pretty closely with wineries and it sucks that bachelorette parties get grouped together. Some are lovely, some get out of hand and just want to get drunk,91Ƶ Kevin Forsythe owner of Apré Tours said.
91ƵI have a way of telling everyone in my groups, 91Ƶyou can have as much fun as you want in the bus, and do whatever. But when we are at the wineries, listen to the people giving you the tasting, be respectful and have fun that way.91Ƶ They definitely don91Ƶt have to leave the bus if they don91Ƶt want to adhere to that.91Ƶ
According to Forsythe wine tour companies can price themselves out of any trouble and can choose the demographic they shuttle from winery to winery.
A few wine tour companies have created specific wine tours that cater to bridal parties that are looking to experience Okanagan wine country. The tours have scheduled stops with wineries that welcome with open arms, as long as they behave appropriately.
91ƵTo work around everyone91Ƶs preferences we created an entirely,91Ƶ Katherine Gountas, Office Manager for Uncorked Okanagan Wine Tours said.
91ƵThey book with us and we cater to both the businesses and the guests so that everyone has a good experience.91Ƶ
A younger demographic has been strolling into wineries, and larger groups according to Craig McCulloch, inventory and logistics manager at Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery.
91ƵIt91Ƶs a tough balance (in the tasting room) to serve stagettes and couples that come at the same time. Depending on the group they can be loud and partying. It can get very loud in our tasting room,91Ƶ McCulloch said.
91ƵWe are building a 15,000 square foot building and that will make the experience for everyone better. We prefer groups to book ahead, and we schedule them each hour.91Ƶ
Reservations have become increasingly important to wineries to accommodate the influx of the wineaux coming through their doors to ensure all guests leave the winery with wine they enjoy and happy memories.
91ƵThe bachelorette parties can be distracting to guests since we are a smaller winery,91Ƶ Mark Spurgeon, proprietor of Urban Distilleries said.
91ƵWe don91Ƶt mind that they are here to have fun and be loud, I just wish they would come in during the week instead of the weekend when we are packed. I also wish we were their first stop on the wine tour instead of their last.91Ƶ
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Frequency Wines offers more than wine and pride themselves on the experience that they can offer guests. For visitors to experience the winery at its full capacity in the small tasting room, large parties are asked to make a reservation.
91ƵWe are all about celebration, it puts energy into our building,91Ƶ Jacob Pasterfield, manager at Frequency Wines said.
91ƵThe only concern I have with bridal parties is that they can come in past the point of serving and it91Ƶs really tense when we have to cut people off. We don91Ƶt want to embarrass anyone, or make them feel like they cannot participate in the fun. Legally we are only allowed to serve people to a certain point. We want to have fun, when we legally can91Ƶt provide them with a fun experience, it91Ƶs not ideal.91Ƶ
Pasterfield has seen brides and bridal parties of all kinds during his time at the winery91Ƶ brides that are falling down, and parties that come in already inebriated from previous stops, with 91Ƶcans of sparkling wine in the van.91Ƶ
Legally managing the parties that come into wineries have proven to be a challenge that one of the smallest wineries, House of Rose and cannot do it anymore. The winery no longer accommodates bachelorette parties after bad experiences and the size of their tasting room.
91ƵOur wine shop is only 500 square feet, including storage. If we have 14 people in here it91Ƶs packed. Until we have the capital to build something bigger, which is what I would love to have (to offer) large groups private tastings. But, we don91Ƶt have room right now,91Ƶ Aura Rose, owner of House of Rose Winery said.
91ƵBachelorette parties are great fun, but they are quite boisterous, they should be having a good time but if they are boisterous they can easily take over our small room and we cannot accommodate them.91Ƶ
Proprietors are still discussing how to move forward with the trend of wine tasting themed bachelorette parties fueled by fun, celebration and wine in the sun. Working towards finding the right way to accommodate and set etiquette boundaries for the parties to uphold their atmosphere.
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91ƵWe have been a part of round tables where wineries have said that (banning them) was their position, it91Ƶs more catering to their demographic or the types of people and atmosphere they have and catering to that,91Ƶ Rio Kitsch, co-owner of Kitsch winery said.
91ƵIt91Ƶs a huge market first of all, and they are young customers that have the potential to be really loyal. We are a younger team so by nature we are more into the younger demographic. A bachelorette party is a celebration, every word has its own connotation but it91Ƶs how you choose to see it.91Ƶ
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